Here's another post in my series of quotes from Uncle Joe. If you haven't read the previous ones, I'll need to explain. Almost all of us have an "Uncle Joe," although he may have another name in your family. He's the family member who has carefully studied life and has enough experience to codify it into a series of pithy nuggets of wisdom.
I asked Uncle Joe why every picture taken of him shows him waving his right hand. He responded that he was waving to himself, so that when he saw the picture, he'd be happy knowing that he was still here to see the wave. After thinking about that for awhile, I came to the conclusion that he really isn't egotistical, he's just got a weird idea of how time works. But, on the other hand, perhaps he knows more about it than I thought. He certainly always has plenty of time to relax.
Here's what he has to say on a variety of topics which relate to having a good life:
- It's said that money can't buy happiness or love, but the average man can impress women more in a Bentley than on a bicycle.
- If you help someone who has a really bad problem, not only will they remember you the next time they have a bad problem, but they'll tell their friends and they'll come to you with their problems too.
- Trying to drink your cares away with booze doesn't work, but it's a lot more fun than trying to drink them away with milk.
- If it were legal to shoot rude people, life would be a lot more pleasant and polite.
- They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but why give them a chance to stick a knife in your back?
- If I were able to exchange all of the money I've wasted in my life by giving back all of the wisdom I'd gained by wasting it, I'd just blow the money again.
- Some people wish they could start all over. I just want a younger body, but I'd like to keep my knowledge.
- People who inherited their money are sometimes referred to as someone who was born with a silver spoon in their mouth. That's nice, but those people will never have the satisfaction of putting a silver spoon in their own mouth for the first time and knowing that it's entirely due to their own efforts.
- If you depend on the good will of others to survive, then you'd be better off practicing making yourself agreeable and pleasant.
- If you depend on the government's force to take money from others to give to you, then you'd better work at making those others feel guilty. It keeps them busy and then they don't resent having their funds taken from them so much.
- Retirement is horrible! I've seen what happens to retired people. They usually waste away and die within a few, short years. I think it's the contrast between working every day and then doing nothing. To avoid this fate, I've made it my policy to be semi-retired my whole life.
Perhaps it would be a good thing if we'd all take some time to think about life in some of these ways. Uncle Joe is usually pretty happy and my observation of people leads me to believe that happiness isn't very common. People are usually over-worked and over-stressed and cranky. Within certain limits more possessions don't help us. Maybe it would be a good idea to go fishing and relax rather than working on that project of dubious value.
That's our problem. Most of us don't work at things that we love to do. If you can find a job that you really love, the stress that comes with it is seen as just a little spice to add interest.
My wish for you is that you enjoy real estate. It has its challenges, but it is certainly interesting and rewarding if you enjoy helping people.
Namaste!
Happiness is an inate thing. You have to be good from withing. Deneding on someone else to make you happy can be dissapointing. In the Same token we are happy when we create our environment-doing those things that make us tick.
Hi
Thanks for such a fun and enjoyable read. I have suggested this. Have a great holidays, cheers cvc
Good morning Eric. Your "uncle Joe" sounds like quite the character. You are so right, we all have one. Not only is yours funny, he really is insightful. Happy holidays and thanks for sharing.
After reading your most recent post, I had to check out some older ones. They are great and full of good thoughts and wisdom. I think I'll be a subscriber from here on. Keep it up - I appreciate you taking the time to share it with us.